* Here you go…
We are shocked by the information in today’s plea agreement and the betrayal of public trust both by Sen. Sandoval and a person who had an interest in the company, who was not authorized by the company to engage in any illegal behavior or make any commitments or contributions on behalf of the company or its executives. It appears both individuals committed crimes without SafeSpeed’s knowledge and in violation not only of the law but of SafeSpeed’s culture. We are shocked and saddened by that allegation. We are fully committed to investigating these matters and sharing any information we find with federal authorities. We applaud the government for rooting out corruption.
You might want to read the recent open letter to Comptroller Susana Mendoza penned by SafeSpeed CEO Nikki Zollar before you proceed. Click here.
* Also, the government chose to include this passage in the plea deal…
CW-1 told SANDOVAL that CW-1 had provided half of Company A’s annual campaign contribution, and SANDOVAL said it was not a problem for Company A’s President to break up the annual contribution into two contributions because CW-1 said Company A’s President did not want the contribution to “shout out,” meaning raise a red flag.
Keep in mind that people claiming things doesn’t mean somebody actually said what was claimed.
…Adding… Tribune…
“I used my office as state senator to help SafeSpeed — er, company A … (and) be its protector in the Illinois Senate and influence other officials to roll out the red-light camera program in Illinois,” Sandoval said.
Prosecutors did not name the SafeSpeed representative who bribed Sandoval, referring to him in the plea agreement only as Cooperating Witness-1. Several sources familiar with the investigation identified the informant for the Tribune as Omar Maani, a Burr Ridge businessman who is one of SafeSpeed’s founders and biggest rainmakers.
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*** UPDATE *** The plea agreement is here.
[ *** End Of Update *** ]
* CBS 2 had pretty comprehensive Twitter coverage of former Sen. Martin Sandoval’s guilty plea today. From that coverage…
Former Illinois State Sen. Martin Sandoval has entered U.S. District Judge Andrea Wood’s courtroom, for his arraignment this morning on federal corruption charges. U.S. Attorney John Lausch also is in the courtroom, in the front row of the gallery.
Sandoval’s attorney, Dylan Smith, says he intends to plead guilty to bribery and tax charges. […]
In addition to his possible prison sentence, Sandoval is agreeing to restitution of $72,441, divided between the IRS and the Illinois Department of Revenue. Also agreeing to repay the government $70,000 for the cost of his prosecution.
According to the plea agreement, Sandoval is expected to face a sentencing recommendation of 121 to 151 months. Plea deal also anticipates his cooperation with the feds with ongoing investigations. […]
Prosecutors have agreed to recommend a sentence below the established guidelines if Sandoval fully and truthfully cooperates with the federal investigation.
Feds say between beginning of 2016 and end of 2019, Sandoval arranged for $20K in annual campaign contributions from a red light camera firm, identified only as Company A in exchange for his opposition to legislation to ban cameras, and to get IDOT to authorize additional cameras.
Sandoval later agreed to split up those payments to “just kind of make it not obvious.” Unbeknownst to Sandoval, the person he was talking to was cooperating with the feds.
Sandoval also arranged for $5,000 monthly payments in exchange for acting as Company A’s “protector” in the Senate, saying would “go balls to the wall for anything you ask me.” In total, feds say he accepted more than $250,000 in bribes.
Sandoval admits “I accepted money in exchange for the use of my office as a state senator to help SafeSpeed, or Company A.” That’s the fist time the company has been named, and it’s not clear if Sandoval meant to let the name slip.
Sandoval also admits he “influenced IDOT officials who were authorized to roll out the red light camera program.”
Feds say Sandoval also under-reported his income on federal tax returns from 2012 through 2016.
Judge says she’s satisfied with the explanation of facts of the case. Sandoval’s attorney also says he’s satisfied, so asks Sandoval for his plea on both counts.
“I plead guilty, your honor” Sandoval says for both counts.
Prosecutors and defense attorneys not ready to set a sentencing date yet, so Sandoval will be back in court for a status hearing on July 21, to schedule sentencing matters.
Sandoval will be released on unsecured $10,000 bond pending sentencing, and may not leave Illinois without court permission, possess a gun, or use or possess any drugs other than prescribed medication.
…Adding… From the US Attorney…
Sandoval admitted in the plea agreement that he solicited and accepted financial and other benefits from an individual affiliated with a Chicago-area red-light camera company, in return for Sandoval using his official position as a state senator to block legislation harmful to the red-light-camera industry. Sandoval also admitted that he engaged in corrupt activities with other public officials and accepted money from other individuals in return for using his official position to attempt to benefit those individuals and their business interests. Sandoval admitted accepting more than $250,000 in bribes as part of criminal activity that involved more than five participants.
In addition to the bribery, Sandoval admitted that he willfully caused his accountant to file income tax returns that Sandoval knew underreported his income for the calendar years 2012 through 2017. Sandoval admitted in the plea agreement that his tax offenses caused a total loss to the IRS of at least $72,441, and a loss to the Illinois Department of Revenue of at least $13,384.38, which he has agreed to pay.
“(E)ngaged in corrupt activities with other public officials,” eh? And the criminal activity involved “more than five participants”? Hmm.
…Adding… Oh this does not look good for the president of SafeSpeed. From the plea agreement…
On or about August 16, 2017, SANDOVAL spoke by phone with CW-1. During the call, SANDOVAL discussed splitting up Company A’s annual campaign contribution to SANDOVAL into smaller amounts. CW-1 told SANDOVAL that CW- 1 had provided half of Company A’s annual campaign contribution, and SANDOVAL said it was not a problem for Company A’s President to break up the annual contribution into two contributions because CW-1 said Company A’s President did not want the contribution to “shout out,” meaning raise a red flag
…Adding… This sounds like Sandoval got a piece of the fabulously successful Oakbrook Terrace red-light cam (or maybe he was just saying he helped them get the red light cam and didn’t receive any cash. It’s not totally clear as I look at it again)…
During the meeting, SANDOVAL discussed receiving payment for his official support of Company A. SANDOVAL asked, “Can I bring up something personal with you?… You’ve been good to me, politically. But I’ve learned that there are people who helped [Company A] who get a monthly, um…” CW-1 interjected, “Consulting fee, sales-consulting fee.” SANDOVAL continued, “When they have helped with the sighting of a camera…. On a monthly basis, infinitum.” CW-1 responded, “100%. They get a percentage of the revenue that is brought in by specific community.” SANDOVAL said, “Like I did in Oakbrook [Terrace].”
…Adding… “I usually say”? So, apparently this was a thing with him…
SANDOVAL discussed being paid to act as Company A’s “protector” in the Illinois Senate. When discussing the amount of the payment he would receive, Sandoval said, “I usually say, ‘What’s reasonable? You tell me.’”
…Adding… According to the plea deal, Sandoval admitted taking “$70,000 in protection money” from a SafeSpeed cooperating witness and $250,000 overall from various sources.
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*** UPDATED x5 *** Sandoval roundup
Tuesday, Jan 28, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
* I love this splash of “color” that Hannah Meisel included in her Sandoval story…
The extremely thin court filing against him is one indication Sandoval has been cooperating with prosecutors. But observers are certain Sandoval has “flipped” on others who the feds are investigating.
A source who spoke to The Daily Line on the condition of anonymity said that more than once this fall, Sandoval had been spotted getting dropped off by a family member at a Chicago Dunkin’ Donuts, and from there was picked up by federal agents. Hours later, Sandoval was spotted being dropped back off at the Dunkin’ Donuts and taken home by his daughter.
* Mark Brown makes a very good point…
Political allies, lobbyists, business owners — anyone who did a dirty deal with Sandoval — knows after Monday that he is not only in a position to give them up, but is required to do so under the terms of any cooperation agreement.
And that means his case should have repercussions far beyond the spare details contained in the two-count criminal information brought against him in U.S. District Court.
That document, typically used in place of an indictment when a defendant has already agreed to plead guilty, accuses Sandoval of bribery in connection with his efforts on behalf of red-light cameras and for filing a false tax return for unspecified unreported income in 2017.
But a far better picture of the damage Sandoval could do was contained in a federal search warrant served on his offices back in September, which clearly showed investigators were pursuing him for a wide range of suspected corrupt activity.
* WGN…
A Chicago Tribune investigation found that Sandoval directly intervened with the Illinois Department of Transportation on behalf of SafeSpeed to install a red-light camera at an Oakbrook Terrace intersection, all while receiving thousands from the company in campaign contributions.
State Representative David McSweeny (R-Barrington Hills) tried to pass legislation in 2015 that would have banned red light cameras, only to see the bill die in Springfield when Sandoval was the powerful chairman of the Senate Transportation Committee.
“I think the U.S. Attorney John Lausch is doing an outstanding job. I applaud the efforts of the FBI. I hope they keep going and we need to get to the bottom of all this – Sandoval is a good first start,” McSweeney said.
Governor JB Pritzker said the charges show how, “almost anything can be corrupted by almost anyone.”
“This kind of activity is utterly repellent, the people who are committing these crimes, people who get elected to public office and then serve their own pockets and not the interests of the people they are supposed to be representing those people need to get out of public office,” Pritzker said.
* Tribune…
The charges have been widely anticipated ever since federal agents executed a high-profile search of Sandoval’s office in Springfield and his home on Chicago’s Southwest Side last September.
Three days later, the FBI and Internal Revenue Service also raided government buildings in a number of suburbs in Sandoval’s district, including Lyons and McCook. Authorities have also sought records on the towns of Cicero, Bridgeview and Summit. […]
Newly chosen Senate President Don Harmon said Monday that the Sandoval charges serve “as a reminder of the challenge we face in restoring the public’s trust and why that issue is a priority this session.”
“The searing image of federal agents toting boxes out of former Senator Sandoval’s Capitol office was an embarrassment to all of us who take public service seriously,” Harmon, D-Oak Park, said in a written statement.
* Tribune editorial…
The two-page charging document doesn’t reveal much. But a Tribune investigation from September 2017 found that Sandoval pressured Illinois Department of Transportation officials to approve red-light cameras at an Oakbrook Terrace intersection that IDOT considered ineligible for the program. The intersection of Illinois Route 83 and 22nd Street was considered safe, and cameras were instead supposed to be used at crash-prone sites to slow down drivers.
But after multiple calls and pressure from Sandoval, IDOT authorized the camera installation, creating a money spigot for the village. Meanwhile, federal raids last year at the homes of several individuals connected to the camera company, SafeSpeed, turned up piles of cash. Earlier this month, the Chicago Sun-Times reported that the FBI in October had seized $60,000 from a safe in the home of Oakbrook Terrace Mayor Ragucci, although the reason for the seizure was not disclosed. Ragucci resigned abruptly this month.
* More on that town…
Oakbrook Terrace is home to perhaps the most eye-popping numbers. Since installing two cameras in August 2017, the city of just over 2,000 residents has collected over $9.3 million before vendor payments. Oakbrook Terrace’s fiscal year 2019 revenue from red-light cameras was $5.4 million, far more than any other suburb. The city made more than one-third of its total revenue in fiscal year 2018 from red-light cameras, according to city budget documents. The city paid red-light company SafeSpeed LLC $1.5 million of the $3.8 million it collected from the cameras that year.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Here we go…
*** UPDATE 2 *** Whew…
*** UPDATE 3 *** More from the courtroom…
*** UPDATE 4 *** Revealing slip of the tongue?…
*** UPDATE 5 *** It’s the end, but it’s also the beginning…
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Sandoval charged with bribery
Monday, Jan 27, 2020 - Posted by Rich Miller
UPDATE: Click here to read the indictment.
* Hooboy…
* More…
…Adding… Sun-Times…
The feds filed the charges against Sandoval on Monday in a two-page, lightly detailed information, a document that typically signals a defendant’s intention to plead guilty. His attorney, Dylan Smith, declined to comment.
No court hearings have been scheduled in Sandoval’s case.
The bribery count against Sandoval alleges that, between 2016 and September 2019, he “corruptly solicited, demanded, agreed to accept and accepted” money for “continued support for the operation of red-light cameras in the State of Illinois, including opposing legislation adverse to the interests of the red-light camera industry.”
Sandoval is also accused of filing a 2017 income tax return that said his total income was $125,905, when he “knew that the total income substantially exceeded that amount.”
…Adding… Arraignment tomorrow…
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* News-Gazette…
Last week, Presiding Judge Tom Difanis appointed the Office of the State’s Attorney Appellate Prosecutor to review Urbana police reports generated about a Jan. 7 incident in which [Rep. Carol Ammons, D-Urbana] allegedly took a Coach purse from the Carle Auxiliary Resale Boutique, 810 W. University Ave., U.
Ammons did not return calls seeking comment, but her husband, Champaign County Clerk Aaron Ammons, told The News-Gazette on Friday: “This is a non-story and a basic misunderstanding, and that’s all you’re going to get from me.” […]
Capt. Jason Henderson of the Illinois State Police Zone 5 office in Champaign said his office forwarded reports on an investigation done at the request of Urbana police — he declined to say what they investigated — to the appellate prosecutor on Jan. 17.
“They are reviewing a case we investigated for the possibility of prosecution,” said Henderson, adding it “would be inappropriate for us to release any information when it’s in their hands.”
* WCIA…
The item, said to be a Coach purse, was worth an estimated $80, according to sources who were present. Those sources also say that wads of paper used to fill purses for display purposes were laying on a floor in a dressing room; the tag from the purse was also found on the floor.
Ammons’ legislative aide, Jenna Sickenius, emailed a statement on behalf of Ammons, calling the incident “a non-story about a simple misunderstanding.” […]
Sources familiar with the incident say investigators are reviewing surveillance footage from inside the store. “Security investigated a report of retail theft from the Carle Auxiliary Retail Boutique captured on video and following protocol, notified Urbana Police,” a spokesperson for Carle Foundation Hospital said in an email. “We will continue to cooperate with law enforcement on its investigation.”
…Adding… Maxwell…
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